Work shoe



Patented Det. 2, 1928.

Urfa sans PATENT oFFic-r..v i

ALBERT L. ROHRBACIFIER, JR.,

or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WORK SHOE.

Application led'November 20, 1926. Serial No. 149,612.

important to prevent, as far as possible, the

entrance of such materials through the vent between the two lapped edgesor flaps of the shoe-upper.

Thepresent invention satisfies both these important needs by providing aconstruc-r tion of Shoe that positively prevents the upper from openingaccidentally under the stresses vof the yfoot inside, 'while yetpermitting the stripping open of the vent by a single7 rapid sweep ofthe hand, and that also positively prevents ingress of Such substancesthrough the` vent opening as the shoe is normally worn.

In general the invention comprises a shoe Whose vent is held closedl byquick releasable fasteners, the vent itself being sealed byfa foldableor collapsible tongue or sealing portionextendingfrom'the flap on oneside of the vent to the flap on the other side of the vent so as to forman extensible guard-strip connecting the two flaps or sides of theshoe-upper.

These and other features of the invention will be described inthefollowing.specilication and will be defined in the claims heretoannexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the embodiment of theprinciples of this invention in concrete forms in which:

Figure l is an outside elevation of a shoe containing my saidimprovements.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the upper at about the lSectional line 2 2on Figure 1, showing one construction for sealing the vent.

Figure 3 is a similar view Showing a somewhat modified form of means forsealing the vent. l

The shoe itself, as actually made, comprises the shoe-bottom l, the vamp2, the counter 3 and upper 4, but by preference the vent or slitextending from the top of the upper to its juncture with the vamp is located well beyond the middle front line,

r preferably on the outside of the shoe, the

inner flap forming the edge portion of the upper on one sidev of thevent, as shown at ta,

being carried well beyond the edge portion of the outer flap'llcb so asto produce a sub stantial overlap between'these two parts of the upper.

yIn the outside flap vis secured a series of spring-jaw` socketA members5, the free ends of whose spring-jaws 5 point downwardly in approximateparallelism with the edge of theflap 4, so that a quick outward pullexerted at the top edge of the flap 4b serves to release almostinstantaneously, byr a singlel sweep of the hand, the entirev series offasteners. These fasteners are of a well knownv type and theirspring-jaws 5a are arranged so as to resist release except by a pullfrom` above outwardly. As will be Seen fromr the drawings, they arealigned in a longitudinal row so that each is released byan outward pullagainst its upper portion. y

These socket members are placed to register kwith co-acting grooved orshouldered studs 6, attached to the opposite side ofthe vent, preferablyby means of a separate flap or stud-carrying strip 6a, which is stitchedor otherwise secured to the adjacent flap of the upper in order that theinside anchoring portion of the metal stud may not press directlyagainst the footbuty against the interposed leather flap, therebypreventing discomfort and the production of sores on the foot of thewearer.

To seal or close the vent against the. ingress of molten iron, chemicalsor other substances that might splash from the floor orA into which thefoot might be thrust, I provide any extension or guard member 7, which,as 'shown in Figure 2,. is Secured to the flap 4a by stitching orotherwise, yand which is carried across to the opposite side of theinside face turned outward to lie against 1 front of the foot and foldedback with its the inside surfaceof` the outer flap 4b, to f the upperwith such an excess of stock as f to form vthis tongue or guard portionintethere isno possibility. ofalieuid or .seinifliquid gral with theoutside portion of the upper, as shown -in'FigureBtat 7".

In=thiscase the ysocket lmember .of the fastener is secured to the flap4b of the upper preciselyas beforethe only difference being that insteadof providing a separate extension piece 7, asin Figure 2, stitched tothe forward edge of the outside portion of the upper Il, theseitwopieeesare: made in one integral piece.

The stud-carrying stripuaiand -the stud `G ,arciiconstructed :and:arranged precisely before, aslin'Figure'Q, and the stripfqu -is attached`to'the outsidenieinber of'the up pershoeftop by stitching, aspreviously 1described.

i Sonlong asfthe .shoe-upper isiliept intac substances t' flowing intothe l interior of the shoe :tli'rougli the yvent. The doubled forrfolded `protective `portion of rthe upper,

y. Which-may =betermed'; tongue, con'ipletely excludes .suelrnniterialAbesides aftording an' extra thickness of leatheror flexible :inetevrial over the instep'foriningan additional protect-ion forthis Iexposed part of the foot. Nevertlieless, the presenceof thisIvent-sealing means in no Wise interferes with the :instantaneous-release ofwthe shoe-upper ffas- .tenersutoa:perinit` the .stripping xofthe shoe from the foot. y f f vIt Willfvtherefore, be ,seen `that theshoevup'peiwor-` top comprisestwo sides or side members `united lat thebackwandfof ,unequal lengthifroin backitowfront soithat their edgeportions `may overl-ap at some-.distance to one .sidewofftheine'diallongitudinal plane of ltheshoe,preferably on thezouter side fofqthe shoe-,-to iform I a-:vent opening eifitendingy` from the iupper edgedownwardly to,` peifinit` vputting on fand-.taking off theshoe, :whilethe vent-.is closed'bym kvflexible tongue forming a continuation orextensionffofi-theshorter or underneathflapssuioient .to extend acrossthe lineof. the. instep, ,folded backnponitselfiandv be securedto theinside-face of .the

i outward pull at the top of the flap, which involves but. a singlemovement of the hand .byreasolrof fsuchalignment. By the use of thesealing` tongue or extension, in the .mannen described, r;-the :only:possible Eplace for `the ent-rance of; foreign-matter at the topedge ofthe shoe-uppenwhich should :be

-fitted Vas ,tightlyfas practicable, Vbut @which -vcanxbe iopenedinstantly ,-fQr-thefreinfOiVal of the shoe in case of such accident.

l. Af safety shoel embracing in itsconstructionv an; upper cut-to formmutually-overlapped fla-ps :to elosea vent `opening.:therein f,

extending downward f lfrointhe tope edge` 4'of the upper on ythe outer,sifdeof tief-shoe, ka stud-carrying` strip secured to the ,-,outsideface of the underneathlflapfWithfsaid'flapinterpose'd bet-Ween `the;studsand an :inserted afoot, l a plurality lofi. coacting quickly`releas-y able .fastener inembersiseeured Lto the exte- .rior flap fof,vthe 'upper' i,'11;,pos'ition :to ,releasably engage ithe.- fstuds iearriedby said strip, land a ventfsea'ling tongue Whose innerelgeportion y. is secu-rech to "the outside.: f a'cefof.l theunderneathffflap and Whose ,outeri edge lportion is secured totheinside2faeeof theel;- terior flap.. y y

:25A lsafetyvshoe ,ieinbraeing ,in fits com struction ajshoe upperftop,`to one :of Whose sides is securedua series .of Yexternal'ly pil f',Jecting fastei'nngsstuds both sides-fof said upper being provided`with for'ivardiextensions'fsecured together to jforin a; lflexiblevent-closing flap `foldable over ,the `instep .to overlapped relationWithsaidffstnds, and a seriesof inwardly openingssoclret membersysecured tosaid ventfclosing :fllapzfin position to finterloekinglyengage' the-respective studs to hold the flap against vopeningundeialatxeral straiiis,.wvhile :allowingqthe flap to be y stripped:from` the studs by .an outward .pull .applied at its jtop.

:In .witness whereof, I `:have subscribed fthe above specification.

ALBERT L. RoifiRBAeHiin ,.JR.

